Patrick mcclafferty



No. 609,455. P n Patented Aug. 23, I898.

P. McCLAFFERT-Y. CLOTHES LINE PROP.

(Application filed Dee. 23, 18,97.)

(No Model.)

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ih zsses W 1 y Z 4 flmop q s, Q 9 P 1 litre PATRICK MCCLAFFERTY, OFBORDENTOWN, NEWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS J. MURPHY,- OFSAME PLACE.

CLOTH ES-LINE PROP.

srncrrrcn'rron forming part of Letters mam No. 609,455, dated August 23,race.

Application filed December 23, 1897. Serial No. 663,257. (No modeL) T0aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LPATRIoK MOOLAFFERTY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bordentown,in the county of Burlington and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Line Prop, of which-thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to props for clotheslines; and its purpose is toprovide a-device of this character which can be readily applied to theclothes-line and will be prevented from accidental disengagementtherefrom by the action of wind or other cause tending to impart avibratory or flopping movement to the line and which can be readilydisengaged from the said line at the will of the personby a propermanipulation, the prop being construct-ed to attain these several endsand with a view to cheapness, simplicity, durability, and efliciency.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the inventionreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in theform,proportion,and the minor details of construction without departingfrom the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and toa full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theupper portion of a clothes-line prop constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig.2 is a vertical central section thereof. Fig. 3 is anelevation of a modification, the dotted lines showing the operation ofthe spring-actuated jaw. Fig. 4: is a transverse section about on theline X X of Fig. 2 on alarger scale. Fig. 5 is a transverse section onthe line Y Y of Fig. 2 on a larger scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the several views of the drawings by thesame reference characters. 7

The prop will be constructed of any suitable material and of any desiredlength and preferably is composed of a wooden strip, the latter beingselected with reference to the 10- cality, so as to secure lightness andcheapness in the formation of the article. The upper endof the stripcomprising the propis cut away, forming a shoulder l and afixed jaw 2,the latter having a notch 3 in its innerside near its upper end and thelatter being outwardly beveled beyond the notch, as clearly indicated at4. The notch 3 is designed to receive the clothes-line and flaresoutwardly toward the sides of the prop toprevent inj urious contact ofthe prop with the line, which would result if the corners or sharp edgeswere not removed.

A movable jaw 5 has its lower end abutting against the shoulder 1 andits upper end outwardly beveled, as shown at 6,:the beveled portion 6coming opposite the beveled end 4 of the fixed jaw to provide a flaringor approximately V-shaped space to receive the clothes-line when placingthe prop in position. A flat spring 7 is secured at one end to the stripor prop and at its oppositeend to the movable jaw 5, and its purpose isto hold the jaw 5 close against the jaw 2, whereby the clothes-line isretained within the notch 3 when the prop is in service. This spring ishoused and protected from the elements by being concealed within aspace'provided between the opposing faces of the jaws 2 and 5, thelatter being channeled or recessed on its inner face, as shown at 8, toa sufficient depth to receive the spring 7. The lower end of the spring7 is let into a kerf 9, formed in the prop below the shoulder'l, and asuitable fastoning secures it to the said prop and likewise to themovable jaw 5.

A pin 10 is secured in an opening formed transversely in the jaw 2immediately below the notch 3, and its outer end is headed, as shown at11, thereby forming a stop to limit the outward movement of the jaw 5.This pin extending at right angles to the grain of the prop serves tostrengthen the latter and being located so that its top side comes aboutflush with the bottom side of the notch reinforces the latter andsustains the wear and strain of the clothes-line. The outer portion ofthe pin passes loosely through a transverse opening 12 and serves in ameasure to direct the movable jaw in its movements when fitting the propto a clothes-line or removing it therefrom. The opening 12 is smallerthan the head 11, thereby admitting of the latter limiting the outwardmovement of the jaw 5. This jaw 5 has a positive and loose connec tionat its lower end with the shouldered por tion 1 of the prop, and, asshown in Fig. 2, a projection 13'at the lower end of the jaw 5 enters acorresponding notch 14 in the shouldered part 1, and, as indicated inFig. 3, a hinge 15 has its members secured in any desired way to theprop and jaw 5, whereby the latter is permitted to move outward at itsfree end.

WVhen it is desired to secure the advantages of the invention withoutthe necessity of providing a pole or staff, the prop will be constructedin the nature of an attachment to be fitted to a pole or staff or to anykind of prop already in use and, as shown in Fig. 3, its lower end willbe reduced, forming a tang or shank 16, to be fitted into an openingbored in the end of the pole or staff to which the device is, to beapplied. The prop is applied to a clothes-line by presenting its upperend so that the line comes opposite the V- shaped space between the jaws2 and 5, and an upward movement of the prop will cause the line to rideupon the beveled ends 4 and 6 and move the jaw 5 away from the jaw 2 aproper distance to permit the line to enter the notch 3, after which thejaw 5 will close under the action of the spring '7 and retain the propin place.

When it is required to remove the prop from the clothes-line, it isgrasped and moved laterally or in such a direction so that the line willexert a lateral pressure upon the jaw 5 sufficient to move it away fromthe jaw 2, when a downward movement of the prop will permit the line toescape from between the jaws, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In aclothes-line prop, the combination of a fixed jaw having a notch in theinner side near its outer end, a separate springactuated jaw havingloose but positive connection with the fixed jaw and adapted to closethe open side of the notch, and a stop carried by the fixed jaw andengaging the spring-actuated jaw to limit and guide the latter in itsmovement, substantially as set forth.

2. In a clothes-line prop, the combination of a fixed jaw having a notchin its inner side near its upper end, and having the latter outwardlybeveled beyondthe notcl1,aspringactuated jaw having direct and looseconnection with the fixed jaw and adapted to close the aforesaid notch,and having its upper end outwardly beveled, and a pin reinforcing thelower side of the aforesaid notch and passing loosely through an openingformed transversely in the spring-actuated jaw to direct it in itsmovements, substantially as set forth.

3. In a clothes-line prop, the combination of a fixed jaw having a notchin its inner side near its upper end, and the latter outwardly beveledbeyond the notch, a springactuated jaw having loose and directconnection with the fixed jaw and adapted to close the notch therein,and having its upper end outwardly beveled, and a headed pin secured inan opening formed transversel yin the fixed jaw and reinforcing thelowerside of the linereceiving notch formed therein, and passing looselythrough an opening formed in the spring-actuated jaw to direct thelatter in its movements and limit its outward play, substantially as setforth.

4. In a clothes-line prop, the combination of a fixed jaw havin g anotch to receive the line, a separate movable jaw for closing the openside of the said notch, the said jaws having their outer ends oppositelybeveled, and a flat spring secured at its opposite ends to the jaws andconcealed and protected by being located within a recess formed betweenthe opposing portions of the jaws, whereby the movable jaw is opened bylateral pressure, substantially as set forth.

5. In a clothes-line prop, the combination with the body thereof havingits upper end notched or cut away forming a fixed jaw, and provided witha socket formed in the base of the notch and a slot extending below thesocket, of a movable jaw having a tongue fitted in said socket, and aspring having one end seated in the slot and secured to the body of theprop, and its other end connected to the movable jaw, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK MCOLAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, FRANCES PEYTON SMITH.

ICO

